In this Nov. 13, 2024, file photo, the Cellicion Zuni Dancers perform in celebration of Native American Heritage Month inside Gurley Hall at The University of New Mexico-Gallup.
ñ accelerates Native American student success
Categories: Students Faculty Staff Community
Branch campus launches $2 million fundraising campaign to continue supporting underserved Lobos
By Richard Reyes, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026
GALLUP, N.M. — The University of New Mexico-Gallup has embarked on a to help the branch campus maintain the state’s premier Native American Student Success Center (NASSC) as part of UNM’s Accelerate New Mexico initiative.
In September, The University of New Mexico and the UNM Foundation publicly launched Accelerate New Mexico, an historic $1.2 billion comprehensive fundraising campaign to expand student opportunity, advance research and innovation, strengthen faculty excellence, and invest in New Mexico’s future.
ñ is seeking $2 million in philanthropic funding for the purpose of re-establishing and maintaining its NASSC in order to strengthen the branch’s commitment to improving the well-being of all students, including those who are traditionally marginalized and underserved.
“The ñ Native American Student Success Center is aligned with the mission of the college: to prepare people to achieve their educational and professional goals in a context of respect for the traditions and values of the many groups it serves,” ñ Interim Chancellor John Zimmerman said. “The NASSC will make a substantial positive impact in the lives of our students and serve the campus community as a whole through the creation and alignment of new resources, a clear strategic direction, and a focus on wraparound student supports.”
2. In this Nov. 6, 2025, file photo, Nakeisha Begaye, right, uses a sewing machine to make a ribbon skirt while special guest Chiara Holgate, standing, assists Sonny Gene inside the Native American Student Success Center at The University of New Mexico-Gallup.
The NASSC is currently on hiatus after losing federal funding. Through the Accelerate New Mexico campaign, ñ aims to raise funds to revive the center and help ensure that all students have access to resources and support to achieve their educational aspirations.
A brief history of the NASSC
In 2023, ñ was awarded the federal designation of a Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institution and received a five-year, $3 million grant. ñ serves a diverse student body with nearly 70% identifying as Native American.
In the 2024 fall semester, ñ used the money to create the Native American Student Success Center and hire a director, a case worker, and an administrative assistant.
In September 2025, the U.S. Department of Education ended discretionary funding for hundreds of minority-serving institutions, including ñ.
The NASSC used the remaining federal grant award to continue supporting Indigenous students at ñ, but the center was forced to go on hiatus at the end of September 2026 due to the lack of funding.
3. In this Nov. 11, 2025, file photo, special guest Sahale James teaches students how to make leather bracelets during an interactive workshop in the Native American Student Success Center at The University of New Mexico-Gallup.
Regardless of these changes, ñ remains committed to the well-being of all its students. The NASSC will carry on the ethos of the NASNTI designation and provide resources and support to students in the areas of:
- Emergency funds
- Academic support
- Career services
- Community building
- Cultural connectedness
- Sense of belonging
- Personal enrichment and growth
A "transformative resource"
While the NASSC operated for a brief time, it achieved a significant impact.
As part of its Emergency Assistance Program, the NASSC gave students gift cards to provide support for essential needs such as gas, groceries, textbooks, supplies, and personal care items. The center also provided snacks and refreshments for students on a regular basis.
The center also hosted a variety of events throughout the year, including Bingo style games that awarded groceries and other prizes, financial literacy workshops, and interactive demonstrations featuring special guests on various crafts such as cooking, beading, leather bracelets, and ribbon skirts.
ñ business administration student Alicia Morris called the NASSC a “transformative resource” for her personally.
Morris, who works as a student public relations assistant for ñ, joined the NASSC on their trip to Phoenix and wrote about her experience. She also participated in a variety of NASSC events.
In this Nov. 6, 2025, file photo, special guest Emerald Arnold, second from right, leads a beading workshop for students inside the Native American Student Success Center at The University of New Mexico-Gallup.
“It has not only provided me with invaluable opportunities and enriching experiences but also connected me to a broader network of Indigenous communities from surrounding tribal nations and beyond,” Morris said. “The center’s welcoming environment and cultural programming has helped me feel supported and empowered me to succeed as a student and as a member of my community. I strongly believe that this center is a vital part of UNM Gallup’s mission and a model for how higher education can honor and uplift Indigenous students.”
To support the Native American Student Success Center and contribute to ñ’s fundraising campaign,
In this March 6, 2026, file photo, a group of students from The University of New Mexico-Gallup pose for a photo in front of the Heard Museum entrance in Phoenix during an enrichment trip sponsored by the Native American Student Success Center. From left: Alicia Morris, Cory Herbert, Luke Haley, Katelynn Wilson, Ashley Thomas, Micah Gruber, and Jaelyn Dakia.
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The University of New Mexico - Gallup
705 Gurley Ave.
Gallup, NM 87301
(505) 863-7500
